Pseudonigrita arnaudi
The Grey-capped Social Weaver (*Pseudonigrita arnaudi*) is a charming and highly gregarious passerine endemic to East Africa, renowned for its intricate communal nesting habits. Measuring a diminutive 12-13 cm in length and weighing a mere 15-20 grams, adults are characterized by a distinctive pale grey crown and nape, which contrasts sharply with their sooty-brown face, throat, back, and wings. Their underparts are creamy white, often with a buffy wash on the flanks, and they possess a stout...
Found in arid and semi-arid savanna grasslands, often associated with scattered acacia woodland and bushveld, typically at elevations up to 1,800 meters.
Primarily graminivorous, feeding on a variety of grass seeds, supplemented significantly by insects, particularly termites, ants, and grasshoppers during the breeding season.
Highly diurnal and intensely social, Grey-capped Social Weavers live in bustling colonies year-round, roosting communally within their elaborate nests or dense thorn thickets. They forage actively in noisy flocks on the ground or in low vegetation, meticulously gleaning seeds and insects. While n...
The Grey-capped Social Weaver is a resident breeder distributed across a broad band of East Africa, from southern South Sudan and southwestern Ethiopia through Uganda and Kenya, extending into central and northern Tanzania. Three recognized subspecies further delineate this range: *Pseudonigrita ...
Least Concern
- The Grey-capped Social Weaver is one of the few weaver species where males and females are almost identical in plumage, making sexing in the field challenging. - Their common name perfectly reflects their obligate colonial lifestyle, often forming large, active communities that can number hundr...